Take Two: Is the state of Georgia now considered QB central?

Take Two returns with a daily offering tackling a handful of issues in the college football landscape. Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney lays out the situation and then receives takes from Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and a local expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites.

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In the history of Rivals.com dating back to 2002, there have been seven five-star quarterbacks from the state of Georgia.

Recent history has been a huge help to those numbers.

Last recruiting cycle, there were two five-star signal-callers in Davis Mills (Stanford) and Jake Fromm (Georgia), an impressive haul but nothing compares with the 2018 recruiting class.

Three five-star quarterbacks are in the state of Georgia led by No. 1 overall prospect Trevor Lawrence, followed by No. 2 Justin Fields and then No. 18 overall Emory Jones round out the group.

The other five-stars from the state were Carolina Panthers’ Cam Newton and Houston Texans’ Deshaun Watson – not bad company.

The question is this: Has Georgia become – or is it becoming – the next quarterback hotbed for college coaches around the country to target each recruiting cycle for top signal-callers? Is this just a unique run on high-end quarterbacks? Or is there a bit of overhype when it comes to quarterbacks from that state and things will settle back to normal after this 2018 class?

The consensus thinking is that Georgia has become a top state for quarterback recruiting and coaches would be wise to focus there to land some of the best in the country.

MORE: Lawrence vs. Fields | Farrell on QBs | Is Bama a threat to OSU for Jones? | Class of 2018 QB ranking

“There’s no denying that 2018 is the marquee year in quarterback history when it comes to the Peach State, but does that really suggest that we’ll see more high-profile signal-callers coming out of Georgia in years to come? Absolutely, in my opinion.

"Deshaun Watson, Jake Fromm and Davis Mills have laid the groundwork in recent years, and Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Emory Jones and Jarren Williams are more than carrying the torch now. Down the road, Marietta’s Harrison Bailey, Oconee County’s Max Johnson, Lawrence's Cartersville backup Tee Webb and even 2021 Buford prospect Aaron McLaughlin look plenty capable of shouldering the load and will likely find themselves ranked among the nation’s best before all is said and done.

"While Georgia has long been known for wideouts, defensive backs and the big boys down in the trenches, it appears that a new era has dawned, as the most important position in the game has become a staple for those teams in-state who seek to truly compete on a major stage. I don’t expect a dropoff, and if anything, I expect we’ll see the ranks of top passers continue to grow within the state borders.” - Reuse

“It’s development. Georgia was never known for good quarterbacks. I remember back in the D.J. Shockley years there just weren’t quarterbacks coming out of there. Same with Florida. It was always considered a state that produced everything except quarterbacks and elite offensive linemen. The training in Georgia has really improved when it comes to quarterback coaches and guys working with these guys from a young age.

"Now, some of these guys are going to flop. When you look at so many five-stars from the state of Georgia, some are going to flop, that’s just the way it works. But when you look at the combination of everything – being able to run and throw, mechanics, being a pocket guy who can look downfield, doesn’t get rattled and goes through his progressions well – there are so many types of quarterbacks who are talented there, and so it’s not a hype thing, it’s a training thing. Harrison Bailey is a great example of that. These guys are becoming great quarterbacks in eighth and ninth grade, and then developing from there.” - Farrell